AKAI is a Japanese consumer electronics company founded in 1929. Known for quality components and precision engineering, Akai is a name that comes up repeatedly when discussing reel-to-reel tape recorders. Akai recorders were the very top of the domestic tape recorder market in their day and were even used professionally. Today's digital equipment is vastly different from the warm and natural analog sound.

ST-1

The Model ST-1 is a handsomely designed precision sound recorder and reproducer. It employs an advanced four track system, where the width of a tape is divided into four sections for recording, so that the tape may be used more efficiently. The ST-1 operates on two tape speeds, 7 1/2 and 3 3/4 ips. Pre-recorded tapes should not be run on a different tape speed than the one they were recorded with, otherwise the sound may become distorted.

Model 345

The Akai Model 345 is a portable tape recorder with an in-line 4-strack stereo recording system. With an adaptor, reels up to 10 1/2" can be used.